How to Soften the Hard Water in the Valley

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Water hardness…what do we do with hard water in the valley. First, let’s take a look at where we get our water in the valley. Most of our water comes through underground wells or it comes down through canals from the northwest part of the state, the Colorado River. Water also comes from snow runoff in the higher mountains of Arizona and comes also down through canals to this area.

Once the water is here, if we need the water at that time it is treated and pumped out to the population. If the water is not needed at that time, the water is added to the aquifers under the Valley for future use. When this water is needed, it is then pumped out, treated, filtered and pumped to those that need it.

Since our water goes through so many points of contact, it can contain lots of impurities. That’s why we have hard water. Hard water comes from two different kinds of salts: calcium or magnesium. Because this hard water doesn't lather or clean well, it gets on clothes and can leave scum inside appliances. We can measure the water’s hardness a couple of ways. 

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Hard water doesn't lather
or clean well.

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How do we treat it? Consider water softener. It doesn't take any salts out, but instead, it changes the magnesium or calcium salts to sodium salt. Sodium salts don't create scum and clean better; they’re even better for hair.

Water can also be treated with a reverse osmosis system. This uses a membrane to filter out the salts to purify the water as much as possible. I consider reverse osmosis a better solution, because it actually removes the salts.

As always, please contact me with any questions you have. I’d be happy to help serve your local real estate needs!

How Ronald Wagener stood out as more helpful than any other realtor I have worked with.

“I had great results. He took me to a lot of houses, exactly what I wanted to see. He found houses, that I, well, as a matter of fact, I ended up buying two houses. I bought one and I backed out of it after the inspection. But, I bought the other one, he walked right through it with me. Never questions, not a problem. He was there all the time. I had to back out of the one, have a second inspection [for the second house] he dealt with the inspectors, and he did a good job, he got me a discount and got it all taken care of. I thought man, he was right there when the inspector was. I have bought and sold a lot of houses since 2000, I think I am on my 5th house. And, I think he has gone out of his way more so than other people I have employed.”

-Elizabeth Bradley

5 Questions to Consider Before Buying a Sun Lakes Home

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Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report

Finding the right home to move into is incredibly important. It’s where you live, eat, work, and play. Your home is your own little fortress, so finding the right one to fit your needs is paramount.

Below are some steps to follow so that you can avoid buying the wrong home:

1. Get pre-approved: Get your finances in order so that you know what you can afford. It’s much easier to look at homes when you have a set price range.
2. Determine what size and amenities would suit you: How big is your family? Are you expecting it to grow? What about a garage? Focus on things you absolutely must have (like bedrooms and storage space) and save other things for later (pools, fitness rooms).
3. Pay attention to location: Would you like to be close to the walking path or the lake? If you have young children, which school district do you prefer?

4. How are you going to use your home? Are you a chef? Or are you more inclined towards projects that might require an outdoor workshop? Think about how the home will or will not suit your needs and interests.
5. Consider the bones of the home: How is the structure? Does the home flow well? If you don’t like the flow or the arrangement of rooms, then you might want to look elsewhere because those aren’t easy changes to make down the road. If you’re willing to make updates, then you might have to do some tough thinking.

If you consider these five things, then you should find a home that is suited towards your current needs. You cannot fall in love with a home because it has a pool and a home theater, you have to think about your day-to-day life and how your home will accommodate that.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you are looking for a good home in the Sun Lakes area!

How Ron was impeccably honest and found the the best house for us.

“Ron not only sold us a house but he educated me. We didn't know exactly what we wanted in Arizona. And working with him, I was able to find out all about the market and different kinds of homes. He very politely dissuaded me from making a very big mistake. And so, I was just extremely pleased with the work Ron did for us.”

-Dennis Schulstad